Friction Stickers
Friction Stickers (also referred to as Response Pads) are a common type of response system that increase the grip the sides of the yo-yo have on the string, enabling the yo-yo to return. Although there are a number of different types of friction stickers they tend to be similar sizes, so you can experiment with different types in the same yo-yo. Pads are also very versatile so you can mix and match, or even only have pads on one side for low response. Pads wear out relatively quickly and so must be replaced regularly. However many yo-yoers prefer pads after they have been 'broken in' so the yo-yo doesn't 'snap' back at their hand. Some of them replace the pads one at a time so at least one pad is broken in at all times. There are four standard pad sizes. Most yo-yo companies use standard sized pad recesses so that the yo-yoer can customize the yo-yo to his or hers desired response. The four standard recess sizes are small, large, .555, and silicone groove. Small sized pads only fit in yo-yos with an A sized bearing without a notable lip between the pad and the bearing. Large sized pads fit in yo-yos that have an A or D sized bearing and a lip between the bearing and pad. They also fit in a large bearing yo-yo without a notable lip between the bearing and pad. .555 pads are named because their inner diameter is .555 of an inch. .555 pads fit in large bearing yo-yos with a lip between the bearing and the pad. There is also the silicone groove. The silicone groove has no definite size but some companies such as YoYoJam, YoYoFactory, Duncan and One Drop have made yo-yos that use silicone sticker in a flowable silicone groove. AnY The AnY Pads are made by the Korean yo-yo manufacturer AnY. The are made of bluish-colored silicone, very durable, great for unresponsive play and provide very tight binds. These pads can be found in the Air Rider, Free Rider, and MiRoC 2. Available exclusively at Yoyonation and Yoman Store. They are large bearing sized. Baz Pads Baz Pads are a type of friction sticker created by Bazmonkey. They were made from a rubber product called Plasti-dip, but are no longer available as Bazmonkey has left the community. They are of the large size. Chaz Pads Chaz Pads are an updated version of the Baz Pads. They are also made from Plasti-dip, but produced by Charles Schluer, not Bazmonkey. They are .555 sized. Custom Custom yo-yos use their own replaceable response pads called Performance Rings (sometimes referred to as Speed Rings). Originally made from Rubbermaid tub strips (self-adhesive friction strips made to prevent slipping in the bathtub), they were later changed to a smooth, black rubber. Dif-e-Yo Dif Pads The Dif Pads '''by Dif-e-Yo are made of a rubber-like material. Although they come as standard in all Dif-e-Yo yo-yos they are also often added to other yo-yos by yo-yoers to make them less responsive. They come in two different thicknesses: 0.015" and 0.03", referred to as 'thin' and 'thick' Dif Pads. Thick pads are more responsive than thin pads since they protrude farther into the gap. They come in both large and .555 sizes. Duncan Duncan '''Friction Stickers (also known as Fiction Biscuits) are very responsive at first, but as they get smoother, they wear out completely. They are often replaced by longer-lasting pads, but when they are broken in they work fine. They come with most ball bearing Hardcore series yo-yos as standard, and are of the small bearing size. The original Freehand yo-yo was the first to use these pads. Looping Stickers are slightly less responsive, but are more durable and longer-lasting than the standard Friction Stickers. They are usable for looping yo-yos in the Hardcore series, such as the Speed Beetle. Small bearing size only. Silicone Stickers are another variant of the basic Friction Sticker, in which case made of silicone. Long-lasting and extra smooth for a superior response. Comes in small and large bearing sizes. Usable in Hardcore series yo-yos, as well as the earlier models in the Screaming Eagle series. Brake Pads were originally designed by Playmaxx, but became a Duncan product when it bought out the former's assets. These response pads, which resemble cork in appearance, are made with arrayed "teeth" encircling the bearing to form a starburst-like pattern. They were the basis for all modern response systems. Duncan's SG Stickers are silicone groove response pads designed for advanced yo-yos and players. They are mostly unresponsive but have great binds when recessed into the yo-yo. They come in both small and large bearing sizes. To differentiate the two, the small-bearing SG Stickers are yellow in color, while the large-bearing units are white. DuncanProZ5.jpg|A Pro Z (Mod Spacers equipped) with Friction Stickers Bumblebee2.JPG|A Bumblebee with Brake Pads Duncan silicone sticker2.JPG|A Metal Zero with a Silicone Sticker (small bearing) DuncanDiversion1.0D.jpg|A Diversion 1.0 with Silicone Stickers (large bearing) DuncanSkyhawk3.jpg|A Skyhawk with SG Stickers (large-bearing) General Yo Gen Pads are rubber response pads made by General Yo. They have been engineered to have a very specific grip ability. Furthermore, you can buy them smooth or textured (like Kentaro Pads). They are .555 sized. Hat Pads were made for their Hatrick yo-yo. They are a silicone-based pad. Hat Pads are available in thick and thin varieties. The thick pads come in both smooth and textured but the thin pads only come smooth. They are .555 sized. Gen Pads.JPG|Gen Pads Hat Pads.jpg|A Hatrick with Hat Pads Hat Pads2.JPG|Hat Pads Ghost Pads Ghost Pads are a creation of Paul Yath. They are clear (leading to the name), thick and durable pads with one side being adhesive. They are made of flowable silicone, and are available in large bearing and .555 sizes. Kentaro Pads Kentaro Pads or Kimu Pads are made by Infinite Illusions employee and Team YoYoFactory member Kentaro Kimura. The pads are made from a textured black rubber that tends to make strings dirtier with use. They come in large bearing, silicone groove, and .555 sizes. Flea Bites with Flea Bites]] Flea Bites are a much smaller variant of Kimu Pad used in the YoYoFactory Mighty Flea. They are made by cutting inner circles on standard-size Kimu Pads to form the Mighty Flea's special response system. K-Pads K-Pads are another type of response pad made by Kentaro Kimura. They are silicone pads and come stock in most new YoYoFactory yo-yos. They come in the .555, small-bearing and silicone groove sizes. Hectic 3.JPG|A Hectic with K-Pads TurningPointTarasqus3.jpg|A Tarasqus with small-bearing K-Pads Tom Kuhn Tom Kuhn's Turbo Discs are the only type of friction stickers that are made from cloth and feature unique interaction between the fibers of the string. The fibers in these stickers received its own patent. Supplied with all of his current ball bearing yo-yos, they can also be used on the older version of the SB-2, and certainly put the "B" back into the Bullet. 3M Durapore medical tape would have the same effect as Turbo Discs. They are small bearing sized, and were first introduced with the Pocket Rocket. Chu Pads Chu Pads are very unique response pads because they are very thin (thinner than even the Dif thin) and are made of plastic. They gave very slight response which can be used with other kinds of pad. Players can replace the Duncan Friction Stickers with Chu Pads without the insufficient feeling on stock Duncan yo-yos. Shinwoo Response Pads Shinwoo's response pads are reversible, double-sided units with a different texture on each side; it is flat on one side with a starburst pattern on the other. The gimmick, is that the user can flip these pads to adjust the yo-yo's responsiveness to the user's preference. They are also usable in large-bearing YoYoJam yo-yos such as the Dark Magic II, Hitman, Lyn Fury, etc. There is also a variant of these pads used for the Loop 2 yo-yo. Gecko Pads with Gecko Pads]] These silicone response pads are produced by Henrys for the Python, Viper Neo, Viper Neo XL, Viper Flux, and M1 yo-yos. As with a majority of Henrys' yo-yo products, these are named after a reptile. Hyper Infinity Rubber Friction pads with Rubber Friction pads]] Believe it or not, the Hyper Infinity, a motorized yo-yo that is more of a novelty item than most other yo-yos in the Hyper Yo-Yo line, has its own replaceable response pads, which are made of rubber. They are also sold separately in packs of four. Category:Yo-yo components